Brian Kemp, the Republican candidate for Georgia governor, has resigned as secretary of state effective Thursday night.

Why it matters: Kemp was due to face a lawsuit Thursday brought by Georgia voters for his role overseeing his own race against Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams, which remains too close to call. The race has been marred by allegations of voter suppression and conflicts of interest, with Abrams pledging Tuesday night not to concede to Kemp until “every vote gets counted.”